Uri (LoC): For around 1.5 lakh people of Uri and Boniyar Tehsils of Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the period of around three weeks beginning the night of April 24 has been a nightmare.
The Muslim inhabitants bore the maximum brunt of the cross-frontier shelling and firing by the Pakistani military as these areas are located along the Line of Control (LoC).
At least one woman was killed in Uri in the Pakistani action.
The Pakistani bombardment had ended the peace that these tehsils saw for more than 4 years after the February 2021 border ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan.
Peace has returned since yesterday, thanks to the ceasefire agreement reached between India and Pakistan two days back.
But this peace is uneasy as the inhabitants are not sure how long the cessation of fighting will last. Hence, there is a common and urgent demand for underground bunkers, which they had forgotten for years.
“This calm doesn’t feel permanent. Hence, our first priority now is construcint individual bunkers for our safety,” says Ikhlaq Ahmed, a resident of Kamalakote village of Uri.
He was referring to the announcement of ceasefire by India and Pakistan two days back after intense and large-scale tit-for-tat military fighting, which included air raids and drone attacks.
“We were living happily and had forgotten about cross-border firing. There was no need for underground bunkers because peace had prevailed. But now it feels like this place is cursed. More skirmishes seem inevitable because there is no sincerity behind the ceasefire announced on Saturday,” he said.
In Uri, underground bunkers were first built in the early 1990s in the wake of relentless cross-border firing and shelling by the Pakistani troops. However, many of these were destroyed in the devastating October 8, 2005 earthquake that struck both sides of the Line of Control, and today, only a few remain.
“Earlier, the people in the frontline villages had individual bunkers. Now, there are hardly one or two bunkers per panchayat, and during shelling, it’s impossible to reach them in time,” said Javid Ahmed, a government employee.
“This time, we need bunkers as a top priority,” said Javid, while pointing out that the past governments made promises about constructing bunkers, but those were never fulfilled.
“The long period of peace lulled residents into a false sense of security. We also forgot about the need for bunkers, thinking peace would last. But we were wrong. We may never see these nations become true friends, and we will likely face such situations again,” he added.
A few community bunkers remain in frontline villages including Silikote, Churanda, Hatlanga, Balkote, Soura, Badgrahan, Tillwari, Tajal, and several others.
Local Member of Legislative Assembly, Sajad Shafi, echoed the urgency.
“In Uri, bunkers are now as essential as bread and butter for families,” he said.
“Over 25,000 people migrated from Uri during the recent shelling due to the absence of bunkers. Our first priority must be to ensure each household has one.”
“I spent all these nights in Uri,” he continued, “and could feel the terror. Every thud of artillery sent tremors through the walls.”
A senior government officer in Uri said there was definitely need for underground bunkers.
“We will surely propose the construction of bunkers which is much needed,” he said.
In fact, when J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha visited Uri on May 9, the residents demanded construction of bunkers at a fast speed.
UNI
